A Queen and a Prince
by theuselesswriter
Summary: Hans actions in Arendelle had not damaged only the Snow Queen and her sister. In the Southern Islands his brothers do their best to solve their problems with the land up north.
1. Chapter 1

TWO KINGDOMS

"Brothers, I wish we could have finally reunited in more pleasant circumstances."

"So, it's true? The rumours about Hans' time in Arendelle are true, aren't they?"

The one who asked was Lucas, one of the twins that have been born just a year before Hans, himself. Him and Jack, his twin brother, were the closest to Hans in age, as such the rumours had hit them harder than all the others. When the first ships started coming from the kingdoms in the north the fishermen's' tales were all about "The Fair Snow Queen" and "The Brave Princess"... And "The Liar Prince".

The brothers have started seeing more of each other that week. Lucas and Jack left the Military Academy in where they were studying to became officials in the Souther Island's army. The general of the army had run to the Capital too after he heard the tale from his attendant, who had just come back from a night at the pub.

Prince Gregory had always been a man of instinct, and he didn't think twice before leaving the army in the hand of his most trusted lieutenant when he heard of the mess his little brother was apparently in.

The other three who were outside the Capitol had travelled there too. There was Jacob, the Admiral of the navy, that had returned earlier from a travel with the new flagship after stopping at a port for the supplies and the horrible news. Marcus and Jonah had cut their hunting trip short (that was at least a silver lining, since Marcus and Jonah hunting trip had started one and half year ago).

And there were the four brothers who helped King Alphonse with the government of the country: Prince Sebastian, Prince Arthur, Prince Matthew and Prince Theobald.

"Indeed they are Lucas.", answered Prince Sebastian.

"Hasn't anything be done to bring him home?", asked General Gregory.

The room was almost immediately full with noises. Marcus, Jonah and Sebastian were ranting about how they knew Hans would have been bad news once he had grown up; Lucas and Jack kept telling anyone who would listen that Hans was their brother after all and they had to do something to help him.

"Remember that time when mum..."

"Maybe we shouldn't have faked he didn't exist..."

"I knew he was angry and ambitious, but..."

"Father would have wanted..."

"SILENCE!"

Everyone shut up immediately after the King had commanded it. After clearing his voice the king started talking in his normal calm tone of voice.

"This is a crisis as our country hasn't affronted in centuries. You will all be calm, and you will listen before talking again! Am I clear?", after seeing that he had made his point he continued, "Theobald if you will?"

"Yes, Alphonse. This letter has arrived today:

_To King Alphonse _

_of _

_The Southern Islands_

_The words I am going to write are terrible ones, but as it is my duty I will write them nonetheless. _

_I am sure that when this letter arrives at your desk some of the rumours concerning Prince Hans have already reached you. Most of them are true. He did try to kill me, he did try to marry and then kill my sweet sister. He did it all for the sake of obtaining a throne for himself. It was well within my rights to take his head for the heinous crimes he committed; but since his attempt remained only that, an attempt, I choose to show mercy. After this letter Prince Hans himself will be sent to you, to be judged as you see fit. _

_With the deepes__t__ trust,_

_Queen Elsa of Arendelle._"

"We should trust her? And in that case what should we do with Hans?", the King asked the assembled brothers.

"If I may, brother."

"Speak Theobald."

"I don't know if she is to be trusted. What I do know is that this missive contains only truth. Hans did the things he was accused of, that is a certainty."

"Why? You trust her more than your brother? Should we not wait for Hans before declaring him guilty?", asked Jack.

"Every accounts of this story proves Hans guilty, even those from the people of the Southern Islands. And one does not boldly write that he could kill a Prince if he wasn't sure that he could. And for your last question... I do not trust him, it pains me to admit it, because I still love my little brother, but I can't trust a man who can do something like that."

Silence fell on the table.

"Now the problem is another.", said Sebastian.

"I understand your meaning Sebastian, but Theobald has already given me a solution on that front.", the King told his Minister of Finances.

"As usual, you and your inner circle have all the solutions... What's going on?", asked Jacob.

"Arendelle was an important trading partner; the Southern Islands shipped there food supplies for the winter, while they gave us lumber from their forests and iron from their mines. And obviously loosing Arendelle means loosing an important market for our artisans. Arendelle is a trading partner we can't afford to give up. That without considering the setback our reputation will suffer with the other countries unless we clear the air with them.", answered Sebastian.

"So you will kill our little brother... for some lumber!", screamed Gregory.

While the table got on another heated discussion the King fell silent, ignoring his brothers, a talent he developed much earlier in his youth, and started thinking. After a while spent whit his eyes closed he opened them too see what was on his way to became the first Royal Battle in years.

"If you are done staring at each other, and would like to hear your king decision, please sit. Hans will be stripped of his titles, and then he will pass the rest of his life in prison. Every five years I will grant him an audience, if he can convince me that he repented he will be free. But he will never call himself prince again."

"Prison for life? Is that what you wanted for your little brother, Alphonse?", asked Arthur.

"No, Arthur. He wanted it! He could very well have started a war with his little stunt! He could have brought Arendelle's armies here, he could have killed thousands of my people only for pride and..."

"I'm sorry, Alphonse. I spoke without thinking. It's hard for us to think of the kingdom before of the sunny little boy we remember... I can only imagine how hard is for you."

"Thanks, brother."

"No, I believe my apology is missing something. I will sail to Arendelle and I will convince Queen Elsa to re-open the trade route. I believe Theobald's plan was to send one of us to handle the discussions?"

"My plan was to go myself, Arthur. But if you think you can do a better job than me you are free to try."

"I will do just that. Besides if you go and the Queen decides to froze you on the spot we loose our Master of Laws... If she freezes me we will loose only the... what do I do again?"

"Minister of Education."

"See, we don't even have any schools!"

* * *

><p>"You know you don't have to go?"<p>

Arthur was seated in his study, papers were scattered on his desk in, or so Arthur claimed, a cultivated mess. He was busy writing some notes while at the same time reading a book. The clock besides him told the brothers exactly how late it was.

"I actually have. Sebastian did his numbers right, we can't loose Arendelle. The twins are too young to go. Gregor and Jacob have both high positions in our armies, sending them can be seen as a show of power. And we can't afford any diplomatic faux-pass. Marcus and Jonah have excluded themselves from the politic of the kingdom for too much time, they don't know enough of our economics to do a trade-agreement... Do I need to go on?"

The king smiled and seated himself in front of his brother's desk, silently asking him to continue.

"As my king wishes. Then there are Sebastian, Theobald, Matthew and myself. Sebastian would be the obvious choice, but his wife is with child... Nobody wishes to see him in peril, surely you wouldn't order him to go where he could be in danger. Matthew's place is here, where he can't cause any problem... Don't laugh, you know it's true. And there's Theobald..."

"Who isn't known for his tact.", Alphonse continued for him.

"Exactly."

"There is still me."

"You can't be serious... wait, you are serious?"

Arthur had seen that look on Alphonse's face exactly three times. The first was when he was eight and he had punched Gregor so hard to break his nose. The second was when he had to tell the younger brothers that their father had died. The last was when the news of what Hans had done had reached them. He was utterly sad. He was sad for what Hans did, for the danger his brother had to go trough to help his kingdom. For having failed his father trust in him.

"Never have I doubted your judgement. Never have I loved you any less, despite how many times you refused my request to open that school. Never have I thought you to be less than a good brother, a good king, a good man. But you going to Arendelle is the stupidest idea you have ever had. Even more stupid than that time you convinced me and Theobald to use real sword for fencing and we almost killed each other."

"Father was seriously angry that time. I feel like I am doing that again..."

"What?"

"Putting my brothers in danger."

"Despite what one may think after hearing the stories I don't think Queen Elsa will freeze me on the spot. She didn't kill Hans, why would she kill me? I like to think she is a fairly level-headed individual. And you don't put me in danger, nor any of us. Hans did."

"That should be comforting?"

"It's true. I will be fine, don't you worry."

The King got up, produced a letter from his pocket and gave it to his brother. And after some moments he started speaking once again.

"You will sail to Arendelle the day-after-tomorrow at dawn, you will be there in four days of sailing. I will send a letter to the queen tonight to announce your arrival. If you think yourself remotely in any kind of danger you will come home. I want a letter from you every week. The letter on your desk contains my ring, you can use to sign the trade agreement if you are successful. See you tomorrow."

"I will miss Hans coming home... Slap him for me too, will you?"

The king got out of his room with a not so regal thumbs up.

* * *

><p>The parting at the docks had been moving. Or as moving as a series of bone-crushing hugs and eleven men sniffing hard can be. Hans had at least done something right, his dishonour had brought the brothers closer than they had been in years.<p>

The ship that was prepared for him the day before was a simple two masts ships, with a cabin for the captain and a space under the deck for the rest of the crew. The storeroom was in the back of the ship.

The captain had relinquished his right on the cabin for Arthur's sake. The prince was planning on spending most of his time during the four days trip reading, brushing up his knowledge of the correct etiquette of Arendelle.

With the wind slowly moving the ships away the Arthur head was full of thoughts. Alphonse, a man plagued by doubts and for that a good king, a boy that had to grew up to fast to take upon his shoulders a kingdom and a complicated family. Hans, who thought himself above morals and ethics, too ambitious and proud to take orders from anyone, even from a brother that loves him.

And himself, going alone to prove to a Queen as powerful as the winter itself that the men of the Southern Islands could be trusted. The captain was shouting, the sails were now fully released and ship sped up towards the Snow Queen's lands.

* * *

><p>The palace was beautiful. Well, it always had been beautiful, almost like out of a fairy-tale, but now it was full of people, of voices, of smells, of laughs. Only one week had passed between the Coronation, or the-day-it-should-never-ever-be-talked-about, but for the Princess felt almost like a life-time.<p>

Her and her sister was now closer than ever, well, not truly, but their relationship was mending so fast to be almost unbelievable. They laughed, they talked, they played in the snow with the children of the city. There was still the occasional awkward silence, by they were already fewer than just a few days before.

Madame Gertrude was happier than usual, and the gentle smile that was always on her face was exchanged with a full-blown grin. Maybe it was for the much needed army of helping hands she needed to keep the castle clean and shiny and the kitchens working; maybe was for the happiness that the two girls she had seen growing up had finally reached.

The people were happy, no lasting damage had been done after all. This year the fields will be a little... a lot more barren, but nobody had died. And the previous king and queen were well liked, so for the happiness of their children and the survival of the royal family it was seen as a small price to pay.

All was going well. So when she heard Elsa and Kai talk in hushed tones at the breakfast table they shared and the look of worry on their faces she was crestfallen. The butler passed her a letter, that she read fast. Then she sighed. Then she puts her hands on the table. Then she let her head fall on them and sighed once more.

"What's going on?"

"They... How dare they?... Is so hard to... I even send him back."

And then Elsa produced some inane mumbling that Anna couldn't possibly understand. She then got up and started walking the perimeter of the room like a caged animal.

"Elsa, you're kinda freezing the floor."

The queen produced an unladylike scream and, after focusing himself, made the ice disappear.

She then resumed pacing the room like a caged animal.

Anna got up, hugged her, and murmured some comforting words in her hear. After Elsa calmed herself she passed the letter to her sister. Anna read the letter, her face turning more pale with every word.

_To Queen Elsa_

_Of _

_Arendelle_

_Your previous letter only assured me of some rumours about the actions of Hans that have travelled quite fast to my kingdom. I thank you for the mercy you showed to my brother, despite his truly horrendous crimes. This missive will be followed by my brother Prince Arthur. He has been chosen by myself to apologize for Hans' actions. Despite having no reasons to trust a man of the Southern Island's I ask you to grant him an audience. _

_King Alphonse_

_of _

_The Southern Islands_

"The nerve of them! How dare they? After... Argh!"


	2. Chapter 2

AN AUDIENCE

Arendelle was a beautiful place. This was all Arthur could think when the city first appeared on the orizon. The port was in a small bay, with the fjord rising up on his left and slowly descending on his right. At the end of the costal line the castle stood proud, in front of it the city itself.

The buildings were tall, or at least it seemed so by judging from the ship, but the castle dwarfed them with an easy grace few building of its type possessed. All of Arendelle, or at least all of this city, screamed to the visitor of a prosperous and well-organized kingdom. Arthur could see Hans standing on a ship akin to the one he was now standing, seeing Arendelle as beautiful as Arthur himself saw it. He could imagine his little brother, so thirsthy for power and fame, desiring that castle and this kingdom for himself, and for himself only.

Banishing these thoughts from his mind with an almighty effort he called for the captain. Ian was a man that had travelled long and far in his life, the seas had tempred his mind and his body; but they had also left him with a gentle and caring disposition, even if disguised by rough manners. The prince and the captain, both avid cess-players, had become friends during the short four days trip.

"Tell me, Ian. If one should desire an Inn to go to during a trip to Arendelle which one would you advise?"

"A inn? Well, I guess the castle would be closed off to you during the night." He puffed some smoke from his pipe and, after appesting the air with the bad smell of his two cents tobacco, he suggested the Black Horse, an inn where, according to his most recent travels to this kingdom, the rich merchants choose to stay during their time in the North.

"Could you show me the way?"

"Shouldn't you go to the castle as soon as you arrive?"

"Yes, I should. But I'm dreading the moment, and I find myself desiring logic excuses."

The captain laughed, gave him an rough slap on the back and advised him to get over with it. One thing he knew after all his time spent travelling back and forth in treacherous waters of the north seas was that no time was like the present. He also offered himself to go to the Inn to secure a room and he threw in a joke about finally getting his cabin back.

When the ship was secured on its dock the men got down and sprinted towards the local pub, in which they hoped to get back in touch with some friends from their last trip. The captain himself left the ship, smoking and cursing at his crew, walking straight to the Black Horse.

Arthur was left alone. He checked himself in his small hand held mirror (the captain wasn't one for luxuries), untied and re-tied his boots, checked that all of his clothes were in pristine condition, he looked thrice and then three times more at the gifts his brother had sent for the royal sisters, he read once again how to do the proper bow in the Arendelle fashion, and then he left.

The walk to the castle was a seriously uncomfortable one, wherever he went people glared at him, maybe for the royal crest he had stamped on his clothes or for the resemblance to his brother. But the people grew tired of looking after awhile and Arthur decided to leisurely enjoy the stroll to the castle. After all, it would probably be the first and only relaxed walk he could take in Arendelle.

The castle was after a bridge, a bridge that was currenlty blocked by two guards that did their best to look frightening. They almost succeeded, if not for the stubble and the small pimples on their faces that identified them as little more than children in Arthur's eyes.

"Good morning. Prince Arthur of the Southern Islands requests an audience with your Queen. If you would be so kind to forward my request to the one that organize those things I'll be eternally grateful. I'll wait here."

The guards did a double take, conversed in low tones with each other and then the smallest one saluted and sprinted towards the castle's gates. Arthur during his wait was happy with enjoing the view from the bridge, that offered a beautiful sight of the bay and the fjord. He still had no idea of what to say to the queen. "Ehi sorry about my brother! He's an idiot, let's be friend" didn't sound quite right and it was the best he had come up with.

He was hoping that the natural beauty of the place made some previously unkown literary talent emerge. Or maybe he should have let Theobald go, tacteless he was but surely he had a three pages speech ready. Three pages at least.

The guard came back with another, much more imposing man. Arthur guessed correctly that he was the captain of the castle's garrison. He motioned for Arthur to come forward and he obliged.

"The Queen has a kind and gentle heart so she has agreed to a meeting, you will see her in the courtroom. But the Queen also agreed to my request, you will have to relinquish your weapons and you will not get more close than three feet to the queen herself. Am I clear?"

"Luckily I am disarmed. But you will have to give the queen these.", Arthur said, while giving to the captain the two packages with the gifts from Alphonse. "Nothing dangerous, I swear. Just gifts from by brother the King, a thank you for the mercy the queen showed to our other brother. Well, what are we waiting for? No, time like the present! Lead the way, Captain."

* * *

><p>Elsa was doing her best to reign her nerves. She was sitting on her throne, Anna and Kristoff standing besides her, one on his left and the other on his right. This wasn't just a visit from a man whose brother, only a fortnight before, had tried to take her kingdom from her, it was her first test as a queen.<p>

His advisors, the people who had practically governed Arendelle until she reached her twenty-first year of life, had stressed that a friendly relationship with the Southern Islands was important. Apparently Arendelle shipped many supplies from there, supplies they could not do without when half of the fields of their kingdoms were barren after her "accident".

The four days before the announced arrival of the Prince hadn't been relaxing at all, there was no more time to play with the town-children or to read a book only for pleasure. The Queen had to spend most of her time curved on accounts of their past deals with the Southern Islands or researching laws for understanding better the mess Hans had created.

So she had to obtain that supplies from this man. But she also had to make sure she could start with an headstart after what Hans had done; because they suffered too much, both her family and her kingdom, to obtain nothing at all in exchange

It was quite disappointing: she thought that after putting her powers under control being a Queen would be as easy as conjuring a snowflake. It seemed it was as hard as freeing the kingdom from the accidental eternal winter she had summoned.

Anna had stepped up to the challenge with an ease she envied her. She had been positive, because after re-reading the letter King Alphonse she had noticed that Hans was just Hans, not Prince Hans. Maybe a try to get away from the mistrust that man had caused between their kingdoms, maybe a way to tell them that his crimes would not be ignored.

Her joyful laughs had diminished only in quantity and not in quality. Her sister had been able to remain the same positive young woman she was and, with only her presence, had given Elsa more trust in herself than what she could possibly obtain on her own.

Surprisingly even Kristoff, despite knowing nothing of the Southern Islands or of Prince Arthur, had been a tremondous help. He had found them still worried the day after King Alphonse letter had arrived. His level-headed approach to the situation had been refreshing. Well actually his "worst case we send him home" approach had been refreshing.

So here he was Anna's mountain man, standing besides her dressed like nobility, uncomfortable and proud. He was not only Anna love, but also Elsa's first friend. His easy acceptance of her magic had done a lot to help her deal with her insecurities. Growing up with trolls should make you open to the straordinary, or at least that were her thoughts on the matter.

The courtroom was more imposing tha day than usual. When the ship from the Southern Islands had been spotted the Castle was immediately notified. Now the two guards that usually protected the courtroom during audiences were joined by fourteen more, standing with their full regalia on the sides of the room. An assortment of noblility was besides them, faces showing an assortment of rage and worry. It was quite spectacular, and imposing.

The valet got into the room and the Queen glanced to his sister and to Kristoff, steeling herself for the first serious audience she had to do. "Prince Arthur of the Southern Islands" was announced in a room suddenly silent.

The Queen looked at him with interest. He was quite similar to Hans in build, she noted, but that was to be expected since they were brothers. Unlike his brother his hair was of a darker shade of brown, almost black, and he had a carefully trimmed beard. His eyes though were of the exact same shade of green and were showing the same gentle expression Hans seemed to have. All things considered he was similar enough to Hans to cause irritation, or even disgust, in the one he was there to see.

Arthur walked to the throne apparently oblivious to the stares he was recieving and bowed, in the same way Elsa's father used to bow when meeting foreign dignitaries or when he wished to impress his wife. The right arm was on his heart and his head was perfectly alligned with the rest of his body. As it was proper when meeting a Queen he waited untill Elsa spoke before raising his head.

"Prince Arthur of the Southern Islands, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

* * *

><p>Icy, Arthur thought and then raised his head. The Queen was on her throne, a young woman who ought to be her sister and a man he didn't recognize next to her. The two woman were not frightened of him, that was good; they seemed almost disgusted, like he was a bug that had wormed his way within their home and they couldn't wait to catch him and toss him out. That was bad.<p>

Feeling particuraly not well-liked, something that almost never happened to him in his whole life, Arthur prepared himself for the herculean task to solve the mess Hans had created.

"Queen Elsa this isn't pleasure. The crimes Hans has done were terrible; the actions he has taken during your Majesty's coronation could have had terrible consequences for your kingdom. My brother King Alphonse wished to be here in person to apologize and assure you and your subjects that our government had nothing to do with Hans' decisions, but he had to be in the Southern Islands to oversee Hans' punishment."

"And what will it be?", asked the Princess.

"He has been stripped of his titles and sentenced to prison for life."

The crowd started murmuring, trying to grasp the full effect of this short sentence. It was true that what Hans did was truly terrible, but rarely a member of a royal family had to suffer through a punishment as harsh and this. It was also true that even more rarely a member of a royal family separated himself from every notion of honour and justice.

"A harsh sentence.", said the Queen.

"To be fully honest my Queen, this is not all. Every five years he will be granted an audience with the King, if he truly repented he will be free. But never he will call himself Prince again."

Another set of murmurs started, this time more loud. Some were calling him a liar. But it wasn't the reaction of Arendelle's finest that troubled him, it was the one of the Queen. The throne had started covering itself in ice where her hands were touching it.

Totally focused on the scene in front of him he saw the Princess getting closer to the Queen, whispering some words he could not grasp. This seemed enough to calm the other woman, that breathed deeply and, after making the ice she conjured disappear glared at Arthur with eyes as cold as the ice itself.

"The Queen isn't satisfied with my king justice."

"Yes."

"May I ask why?"

"Five years for what he has done, for the peril he put myself and my sister and my subjects in... It seems like a small price to pray."

"If he repents."

"I doubt you will be able to understand if he is lying or if he has repented. I have never seen a liar as good as your brother."

Arthur felt like he had been slapped. This woman has suffered much because of Hans, but they had suffered too. It wasn't her that had to put hes brother in prison, it wasn't her that had to ask herself "What if?". It wasn't her family that this story had destroyed, it was his.

"Queen Elsa, maybe who Hans is distracted us from what he did, maybe we ought to be more harsh. But harsher than prison for life there is only death and you could not want that, considered you send him to the Southern Islands. Maybe he will try to lie his way out of prison, but we will catch his lies; I assure you."

"How? How will you understand if he is telling the truth or no?"

"For the same reason my King had to put a way out for him in his sentence, he's my brother. Despite everything he is and everything he has done..."

The Queen eyes were less harsh and guarded right now, and she must have seen something in his own eyes because when she spoke next her words were less cold and cruel.

"Enough of Hans, I am satisfied with his punishment."

"Thanks, my Queen. I hope that this meeting will be the first step towards a renewed friendship between our Countries. Your Captain has gifts for you and your sister, a small token of appreciation for the mercy you showed to Hans. If you wish to summon me I am currenlty residing at the Black Horse Inn."

Said that he bowed and then he left.

* * *

><p>Elsa was laying in her bed, trying to wrap her head on what had happened during the audience. Her advisors thought she had done a good job, managing to be both demanding and accepting at the same time. Whatever that meant.<p>

She only thought she succeeded at accepting a situation she didn't like. She didn't trust them to be honorable enough to apply their sentence fully. She believed she was being lied to, and she didn't like it one bit.

Hans would probably live five years in some small and hidden propierty of the royal family and then he will be set free, the only difference between the past and the future the small addition of "Prince" to his name. But the past was in the past, nothing to be done now. She accepted their sentence, she even send Hans to them... If she wished for a true punishment she should have pronunced the sentence herself.

She only didn't understand why she relented so easily. She actually was ready to launch herself in an angry tirade, but something in the eyes of Prince Arthur made her stop. They were full of sadness, she recognized that eyes with ease, they stared at her from her mirror for the last thirteen years.


End file.
